1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanism which, in management of a device such as a copier or a printer existing in a local network, performs inventory management of expendable supplies to be used in the device.
2. Related Background Art
As a technique for performing inventory management of toner cartridges to be used in OA equipment, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-152824, there is known a mechanism in which a copier management device connected to a copier in a one to one relationship receives a toner empty signal or data of the number of sheets for each sheet feed cassette and, for example, updates inventory data of toner cartridges in response to receiving the toner empty signal.
However, according to the mechanism which has been conventionally known, only the number of stocks of expendable supplies is taken notice of. Nevertheless, actually, a place for storing expendable supplies may be determined in an office or the like, and it becomes necessary to manage such a storage place of expendable supplies accurately as well.
In addition, in inventory management of expendable supplies involving management of a storage place, for example, in the case in which expendable supplies of a new classification are placed on the market, management such as providing a storage place anew is necessary, which forces an administrator to carry out extremely complicated work. It is expected that a mechanism for improving such a situation is realized.